Goodbye 2023...

 Well 2023 was certainly a year of ups & downs - mostly downs in the latter part...

I learned more about other people and how they can be a lot more complicated than they appear - and in the process I learned more about myself. Including that apparently (to quote a song written by Lemmy) "I ain't no nice guy after all" ♠

"My shine wore off as time wore on" Ain't that the truth... ♠

That episode in the summer triggered another of my periods of self doubt and lack of confidence. It left me feeling worthless and made me take a closer look at myself. Also left with with trust issues - can I ever believe anyone who says nice things to me - do they actually mean the things they say?

Another (unrelated) thing I learned: On top of OCD (which I think I have had most my life without even realising it) I have now also discovered 'Imposter Syndrome' is a thing - a thing I seem to have.

For 2024: Press 'Control/Alt/Delete' to restart...

16/11/2023 The Answer @ Islington Assembly Hall

I've been to a few gigs in Islington over the last few months - mostly at the Hope & Anchor, but tonight in a much bigger venue. Fortunately Islington Assembly Hall is also conveniently close to Highbury & Islington station so nice and easy to get to. I'm here to see The Answer.

This band from Northern Ireland have come a long way since I first saw them early this century. Back then they were playing in the tiny Windmill pub in Brixton. Even back then they were bloody good - and seemed like nice chaps too.

Since playing small South London pubs they have released six albums to much critical aclaim, and gone on to play at venues as large as the O2 Arena in Greenwich supporting the mighty AC/DC.

The Answer spent two years on tour with AC/DC during their 'Black Ice' world tour - which must have been an amazing experience for them.

The band had quite a strong Led Zeppelin influence in their early days, but since then have evolved with their own sound and style - while strongly retaining the 'classic rock' sound and feel.

They can certainly deliver the 'Big Rock Show' when required, but have the musical skills and songs strong enough to stand up on their own.

Even in their early days playing in pubs this band came across as polished and professional, and even back then you could tell they were too good to be slogging round that circuit. And so they proved. Their debut album 'Rise' was very strong.

For the band's 6th album 'Solas' they evolved and took a different turn away from their previous sound and style. This release was still very much a 'rock' album with quality songwriting, but the sound and feel was much more modern. And then they disappeared. Completely. For several years. And everyone thought they had given up and split up....

And now suddenly they are back - with a brand new album 'Sundowners', and they are out on tour again. And guess what? They are still really good!

With most bands when you go to see them play live there are always one or two particular songs you want or expect to hear. With The Answer for me that song is always 'Come Follow Me' because of the fantastic guitar work. Tonight I don't go home disappointed.

It's not all big rock bombast - the band know how to pace things and take it down for a while with some audience participation.

The good thing about 'taking it down' is that when you take it up again it seems more exciting - a lot of heavy bands don't seem to get this.

All in all, a pretty good night of classic rock style music - without the cliches and rock star bullshit that many bands seem to think they have to have in a big rock show. The Answer are still pretty good. I wonder if they are going to 'disappear' again after this tour and album?

15/11/2023 Warrior Soul + The Fiascos @ Boston Arms Music Room

A bit of an odd show in (Nigel) Tufnell Park tonight, but it gets off to a flying start with the always excellent Fiascos. 😁

Formed from the ashes of the great Kitty Hudson - a band who I saw many times back in the day from Croydon to most the coolest venues north of the river - the lineup changed over time but the constant thing was that they always had a load of really great songs! Evolving into The Fiascos with the addition of Keef from Dead Identities on 2nd guitar/vocals they have lost none of the old band's power.

Since I first saw The Fiascos in Camden in 2016 they have carried on the same full-on in-your-face rock 'n roll onslaught and attitude from the Kitty Hudson days.

And they have the amazing Robin Guy on drums - the ultimate rock drummer showman.

Robin is probably best known as the drummer for Rachel Stamp, but as a session and live drummer he has played with some very big names.

It's been a while since I've seen Warrior Soul. The lineup seems to change every time I've seen them, but Kory always manages to put a good band together to back that rasping roar of a voice that he has.

But this for this tour something seems to have changed. The room is probably less than half full - which is unusual for a Warrior Soul show in London. Certain people I would expect to see at this gig are noticeably absent, and there seems to be somehow a different dynamic - something is missing.

Robin Guy takes to the stage towards the end of the show to help out with backing vocals. 

The band sound OK and play well enough, but the usual atmosphere seems lacking in the room. Although Kory Clarke gives his usual 'in-your-face' performance, he seems a bit more 'hippy' and less punk than in the past.

Although it's certainly not a bad show there doesn't seem as much bite or commitment as past Warrior Soul shows I've seen. And they didn't even play 'The Wasteland' - a song I was looking forward to more than usual as my life feels a bit of a wasteland at the moment.

A slightly disappointing evening I felt, but at least The Fiascos were on fine form and I really enjoyed their set.

10/11/2023 Head Hunters + The Phobics @ The Hope & Anchor

An interesting Friday night. So many good gigs to go to. Green Day playing a 'secret' show at the Electric Ballroom that everyone knew about, but of course it sold out in minutes while I was at work and I had no chance of getting a ticket. 🙄 Then the band cancelled the show at literally the last minute due to 'illness' even though they had apparently actually turned up at the venue. They had played a packed and even more 'secret' gig in a small London pub the previous night so maybe someone had picked up a lurgy in the sweaty confines of that cramped room? 😳

Meanwhile, in Islington in another small pub venue all three bands actually turn up and play. This is the monthly 'Rockaway Beach' punk club at the Hope & Anchor - always great value for money!

I don't arrive in time to see Vicious Love, but The Phobics are always worth seeing! 😁

Old school authentic punk rock from the streets of South London. Our heroes from Deptford always deliver the goods.

Catchy tunes and music you can dance to including plenty of social comment with songs like 'Gentrification', 'I Can Tell', 'Politics', and 'Whatever Comes My Way' - what's not to like?

Nice and genuine people in the band, and also plenty of songs about issues I can identify with. I seem to be seeing this band quite a lot this year.

Headlining tonight are Head Hunters. - featuring former members of Gunfire Dance and Lords of the New Church.

Some of you may recognise well known London underground rock 'n' roll scenester Jez Miller who as well as being a member of one of the later lineups of Lords of the New Church has more recently been seen playing drums in The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing, but is now taking the lead vocal/guitar role in Head Hunters.

The music is pretty much what you would expect to hear from members of the first two bands mentioned, and the venue is very full of people who have come here for exactly that. They are not disappointed and I think everyone goes home happy.

Halloween 2023

Plenty of trendy clubs and bars put on Halloween events at rip-off prices, but it's perfectly possible to go out locally instead to have spooky fun. 👻 Barnet's oldest and best pub Ye Olde Mitre Inne has a band on and it's free to get in with drinks at normal pub prices - what's not to like? 🎃

The band are local outfit Mary's Exit who play a variety of mostly rock covers. 🤘 They play in this pub now and then, but tonight have a Halloween theme. 😈

I really like their spooky pumpkin lights! 🎃

Halloween tends to bring out the Goths, and they are Only Happy When It Rains - so they would have enjoyed the weather on the way home.

Not being a Goth myself although many people have only ever seen me wearing black, I was less than impressed with the weather at the bus stop. I couldn't help noticing empty black tins of K 8.4% cider floating in the gutter - so hopefully some local Goths had a good night out. 💀 I certainly did

19/10/2023 Supersuckers & Warner E Hodges Band @ Islington Academy

What a bill - these two great bands on a co-headlining tour! 🤘😈 Needless to say I have been really looking forward to this gig. 😁 I'm not the only one - this is one of those shows when it seems like everyone is there. Well nearly.

The Warner E Hodges Band always put on a great show, but maybe on this tour even they may be having to raise their game to keep pace with the Lemmy approved ♠ Supersuckers. 🤘

But as ever, Warner & Co hit the ground running.

The (p)ace is high straight from the start, and so is the bass player - in a literal rather than chemically enhanced state!

Yes, I finally managed to do the (nearly) impossible and capture the elusive Jason 'jump shot' that only the terrific Trudi Knight can normally get!

As this is a 'duel headline' tour and both bands have a 'country' side to their rock/punk thing it is probably inevitable that there will be some overlap resulting in 'guest' appearances in each others sets...

...and this is exactly what happens as Supersuckers frontman Eddie Spaghetti joins Warner & Co.

And he is joined by Supersuckers guitarist 'Metal' Marty. 🤘

It really doesn't get much more rock 'n' roll than this. 😎🎸

Although the Warner E Hodges Band are classed as a 'Country-rock' band the emphasis is very much on the ROCK and Warner will tell you that his favourite ever band are AC🗲DC. And this is very much reflected in the music his band plays tonight - including one or two particularly good AC🗲DC covers. They have also been known to do a stunningly good version of Black Sabbath's 'War Pigs, but we don't get this tonight.

But that's not to say the band don't rock very hard indeed tonight because they do.

And if that wasn't enough rock 'n roll for you in one night (and to be fair that was worth the ticket price alone) then we next get "the greatest rock-n-roll band in the world, The Supersuckers". I think our Rolling Stones might take issue with that, but that's another story...

...However, I'm pretty sure the Stones have for many years not been capable of putting on a high powered performance like this. And the Rolling Stones might have the classic and very dark (dark enough to have been covered by Motorhead) 'Sympathy For The Devil' their brilliant Born With A Tail is right up there with the best ever 'Devil' songs. 😈 And with a twist of humour that Lemmy must have liked. 😉

As with their fellow country influenced co-headliners there are more guest appearances.

Warner, Jason Knight, and Ben Marsden from tonight's previous act return to join Supersuckers on the stage

Naturally as well as 'Born With A Tail' (their 'Ace Of Spades') we also get the 'hits' like 'The Evil Powers Of Rock 'N' Roll', 'Rock 'n' Roll Records (Ain't  selling this year)' , and 'Pretty Fucked Up' (which although a fan favourite I never liked has more resonance for me now)  and some newer songs which ain't bad - there's nothing not to like here.

All in all a top night both musically and socially. 😎😁😈

7/10/2023 Duncan Reid and the Big Heads - The Grand Finale @ The Lexington

A great night, but also a sad one. I have seen Duncan Reid and the Big Heads many times since I first saw them nearly ten years ago at Buffalo Bar in Highbury. There have been some lineup changes along the way, but Duncan has always had a really good band. And also some interesting guests popping up here and there - including ex-Hollywood Brats frontman Andrew Matheson. That band's song Sick On You was later covered by Duncan's old band The Boys on their first album and has been a mainstay of Duncan's set ever since he formed the Big Heads over ten years ago.

After many Big Heads tours in the UK, Europe, and as far away as South America, plus five studio and one live albums Duncan has decided it's finally time to retire from the music business. There are various reasons behind his decision - one of which was a surprising discovery he made about himself which changed the way he see's life. This is dealt with in some of the songs on the recently released, last, and probably best Big Heads album And It's Goodbye From Him. Duncan has taken the decision to bow out gracefully while he is still at the top of his game and still enjoying it rather than dragging things out for too long like some artists do. It's sad to see he is choosing to pack it in, but at least he is making the decision himself at a time of his own choosing - and I totally respect that.

There is quite an air of anticipation for tonight's sold out show at The Lexington. We know the band will be great, and we know the songs will be great too. Unlike my pictures.🙄 The venue was full and I just wanted to enjoy what I knew would be a special show and enjoy the moment instead of fannying about with my phone camera. 😕 Duncan and band hit the stage running and the energy level is high from the start. Mostly tonight we get the 'classic' later lineup of the band with Sophie Powers driving things along with her high power rhythm guitaring and Nick Hughes cranking out most the lead and solo stuff, plus Karen Jones pounding away on the drums, and of course Duncan on bass and lead vocals.

I was hoping Andrew Matheson might make an appearance, but Duncan told me later that he has been ill recently. Needless to say we still got a great version of 'Sick On You' though. As usual we also got Boys classics 'Soda Pressing' which this band always do a particularly great version of. And also from the Boys first album the brilliant 'First Time'. Both those songs have featured in probably every Big Heads show I have ever seen,  but Duncan has no shortage of great original songs of his own - as heard on all five Big Heads albums. He obviously learned a lot about catchy tuneful songwriting from his time in The Boys - not for nothing were they known as 'The Beatles of Punk'.

The current Big Heads lineup is supplemented mid set by the addition of Heidi Cotton on guitar as she contributed to the final album. The atmosphere in The Lexington is terrific and the setlist packed with really great songs. Although I have all the band's albums I actually much prefer hearing the songs live rather than on CD.  As always Duncan Reid and the Big Heads deliver a strong and energetic performance of well crafted pop/punk numbers - there really is nothing not to like - apart from a tinge of sadness at knowing this probably really is the 'last time'. No more albums, and no more live shows. I ask Duncan afterwards if this really is the end - or could there possibly be the odd live show in the future if he feels he is missing performing? He wouldn't be drawn - apart from to say something along the lines of 'never say never', but he said it was unlikely. He seemed happy though, and content to draw a line at this point - so don't hold your breath... And he really did go out while still at the top of his game.

So I headed home a little sad at the thought of never seeing another Duncan Reid and the Big Heads show, but I will always have great memories of the live shows, and I still have all the albums to listen to any time I want. 😀

I am cheered up slightly on the way hope by seeing some of these chaps scurrying about on the tube station platform - does the Victoria Line have more mice than other lines for some reason?

28/9/2023 Chinook Crew 'Chick' @ The RAF Club

This was an interesting day out. My destination was the RAF Club, but as I was early for the event I was going to I had a rewarding look around the vicinity first. Nearby on the edge of Green Park is the RAF Bomber Command Memorial.

The bronze sculpture by Philip Jackson is a remarkable piece of work in it's own right and the detail on the figures is amazing.

The sculpture really is superb and worth a visit in it's own right. The artist has done a fantastic job of capturing the spirit of typical WW II RAF bomber aircrew - this is a very emotive piece of work and it takes quite a while to take it all in.

The Bomber Command Memorial isn't the only thing in the area with a historic connection to WW II. Just around the corner from the RAF Club is the long disused Down Street tube station. This well hidden and little known relic was the Top Secret underground headquarters of Winston Churchill.

Well away from Whitehall and Downing Street part of this by then disused tube station was converted into a secret HQ for the Prime Minister - hidden deep underground and safe from German bombing. This station was featured in a fascinating episode of one of my favourite TV series Secrets of the London Underground.

So after spending a while exploring the area it's time to head for the RAF club for my main reason for being here.

The club itself is a fascinating place dripping with history

A talk at the club is being given by former RAF aircrew member Liz McConaghy to promote her book Chinook Crew 'Chick'.

I have to confess that I had already read the book - I borrowed it from my local library as soon as they got a copy - I think I was the first person to read it. And a very good read it was too - very open, down to earth, and honest. It's an inspiring story of how a girl managed to find her dream job by accident after seeing a photo of a "guy on a rope" hanging out of a helicopter, and thinking 'I want to do that'. And she did, but there was a heavy price to pay as she witnessed the horrors of war at close quarters. Eventually she had to leave her dream job due to injury and was also hit hard by PTSD - and a lot more besides resulting in a suicide attempt. The book isn't an easy read in places.

So, after returning the book to the library when the chance came to get my own copy of the book, and hear the lady who wrote it talk about her experiences at a free event I had to take it. So I took my seat, and presently a petite blond in a blue dress took to the stage. She told her story from her early years, to joining the RAF, and all that led to - which was a lot as she was (and remains) the longest serving female RAF Chinook helicopter crew member. It's quite a story, with many highs, and the lowest of lows. There was lot lot more to what she had to do as a Chinook crew member than just being a 'guy on a rope' - she also had to go through two wars and deal with helping get horrifically wounded combat casualties  and those who 'didn't make it' onto the chopper and off at the other end. And watch some of them breathe their last during the flight.  Not to mention using a machine gun 'in anger' to defend the helicopter and it's crew. Her talk was really interesting, and also quite emotional at times.

I was lucky enough to meet Liz after the talk and have a chat. Guess what? She was really nice! I introduced myself under my Twitter handle and she knew who I was straight away. 😊 And I am now the proud owner of a personally signed copy of her book.

I can highly recommend this book - it's involving, moving, inspiring, and shows how it's possible to hit rock bottom but still turn your life around and create a 'second life' and career for yourself. A deal has been signed and a second book will be appearing at some point. In the meantime Liz is giving talks internationally and on cruise ships as well as all round the UK - get to one of them if you can - I'm really glad I did.

Oh - and did I mention? There was free beer! Note: This probably doesn't happen at most Liz McConaghy talks! 😉